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Sentencing began Friday for a former St. Francis Xavier University football player who was convicted earlier this year on two counts of sexual assault, with the Crown and defense disagreeing over how the sentence should be served.
Omogbolahan (Teddy) Jegede, 25, and the two women he sexually assaulted were students at the University of Nova Scotia at the time of the attacks in 2022 and 2023. Both incidents occurred on the Antigonish, North Carolina campus.
Both women gave victim impact statements. One spoke from behind a screen so as not to see Jegede. She said she has post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, agoraphobia and panic attacks.
The other woman did not appear in court, but the Crown read her statement into the record. She wrote about how she suffered from headaches, anxiety and nightmares. She said she had to quit her summer job due to stress.
Her mother also released a victim impact statement. She described how her daughter had changed from a happy, excited 19-year-old to an anxious, emotional and socially withdrawn young woman.
Arguments for the verdict
In court, Crown prosecutor Courtney McNeil asked Judge Frank Hoskins to sentence Jegede to between 27 and 36 months in prison for both offences.
“These were serious attacks, every sexual assault is a very, very serious matter and we treat them with the utmost caution in the Crown Prosecution Office, and the victims certainly described the impact of the attacks on them poignantly and eloquently in their evidence,” McNeil said outside court.
Jegede's lawyer, Adam Rogers, suggests serving his sentence in the community.
“We may not be that far apart on the length of the sentence, but the Crown is looking for actual prison time while the defense is recommending prison time but with the sentence to be served in the community as a suspended sentence,” Rogers said outside court. “So in some ways it's a pretty stark difference, yeah.”
In arguing for a suspended sentence, Rogers said Jegede would serve his sentence in his home community of Fort McMurray, Alta., far from where the attacks occurred and where the women may be located.
Rogers read three letters of support from members of the Fort McMurray Nigerian community who know Jegede and his family.
When given the opportunity to speak in court, Jegede described the time since his conviction as a struggle, both physical and mental. He also continued to maintain his innocence.
Both the Crown and defense agreed that Jegede should submit the DNA sample to the national database. They also agreed that his name should be added to the national sex offender registry, but disagreed over how long it should remain on the list. The Crown is asking for a lifetime entry on the registry, while Rogers said the entry should be for a shorter period.
Hoskins will make his sentencing decision Dec. 17.
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